Leda Maria - all beaches

This beach is truly one-of-a-kind with its expansive shoreline, accompanied by trees that provide natural shade. The water is shallow, revealing sandy depths, and it teems with a diverse range of marine life waiting to be discovered by snorkelers. The beach stretches for a considerable distance, offering numerous secluded spots where one can peacefully relax on the sand. It's a favorite among the locals, who frequent it daily for a few hours to swim, soak up the sun, and enjoy the company of friends. The sunsets witnessed from this beach are absolutely breathtaking, and at dawn, many locals gather here for fishing.

This beach does not meet the criteria to be considered a Blue star beach, which requires meeting strict environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility standards. Unfortunately, this beach is not even kept clean at an adequate level, and there is a complete lack of educational content. Many people visiting the beach do not know how to recycle or simply leave garbage behind. The lack of cleanliness extends to the toilets, which are avoided by the majority of people due to their poor condition. Additionally, there is a pack of 6-7 large dogs living on the beach, which poses a safety concern as they have been seen being aggressive towards other dogs and people. During my 10-day stay near the beach, I witnessed all of these issues. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that this beach will ever be great, regardless of the maintenance efforts. This is mainly due to the constant presence of seaweed and plastic-based garbage washed up on the beach, which is a testament to human inadequacy. The sea itself is green, murky, and highly polluted. However, regular daily maintenance could greatly improve the beach, despite the fact that the sea often resembles a swamp. The sea floor also gives a similar feeling, as stepping on something that seems like a stone can easily turn out to be a man-made object, most commonly seaweed. This pollution is likely a result of the beach's location in the bay, which is too close to the main source of pollution: Thessaloniki.

We stayed at this beach for over a week, and it turned out to be a major disappointment for our vacation. Following a massive storm that lasted two days, the beach was covered in garbage for the next three days until it was finally cleaned up. Unfortunately, the sea remains polluted with trash, making it nearly impossible to swim without being surrounded by small pieces of plastic floating in the water. Initially, I thought this might be due to the storm, but the situation didn't improve and actually worsened after a few days. While I wouldn't mind some grass or algae, the presence of plastics made it the worst. The water is so murky that you can't see the bottom, except for a short distance of about two meters from the shore. I can't comprehend how this beach, which is supposedly one of the best near Thessaloniki, has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. It's beyond my understanding. The only redeeming factor was the beautiful sunsets. I feel really disheartened about this and hope that people will someday realize that polluting the environment is not how we should treat nature.

This beach is equipped with all the amenities you need for a comfortable and enjoyable visit. The crystal-clear sea is incredibly refreshing and perfect for swimming, while the soft sand is ideal for sunbathing and building sandcastles. The only minor drawback is the occasional presence of seaweed, but this can easily be cleared away for an uninterrupted day of fun in the sun.